The Portland daily press., 1887-03-02
IN CASE OF WAR.
How British Cunboats Would pevas-
tate Our Lake Cities-An English
View of Twenty-Five Years Ago.
London Times Jan. Z. 1862.


Many people may be surprised to learn
that, in the event of an American war, the
safety of Canada is likely in the first instance
to be threatened by water and not by land.
Such, however, in some sense, is really the
fact, and a glance at any ordinary map of
North America will show from what geo.
graphical conditions the anomaly arises. The
richest and most populous territories of Cam
ada lie on the banks of mighty river and
the shores of vast inland lakes.
1t was found in the campaign of 1913 that
these lakes became the scene of the most
decisive conflicts, and two victories, which
were successfully gained by the American
fotillas, led, not indeed to the meditated con-
quest of Canada, but to the temporary ascen-
dency Of our enemies in these internal wa
tiers. 1t was not until we acquired a supe-
riority On Lake Ontario that the Americans
relinquished these hopes of Canadian con-
quest At the conclusion of war both bellig-
erents were busily engaged in building ships
for future battle, SO that great naval arsenals
were actually established In the middle Of a
continent. and at great distance from the
sea. The treaty of peace, however, termi-
mated this rivalry, and principle which has
Valnly been recommended in European negO-
tlati0ns, was practically recognized in the
case before us. The two rival powers, on
the two shores of the lakes, instead of run
ming race against each other, decided that
there should be no race at all. Instead of
building ship against ship, and frigate against
frigate, they agreed to build, in time of
peace. no vessel Of war whatever; and at
this moment there lies in one Of the Ameri-
can harbors an eighty-four gun ship, which,
after being commenced in 1874, was left, in
virtue of these stipulations, to remain un-
finished up to the present day. In the event.
however, of a renewal Of such hostilities
as were terminated by the treaty of Client,
there would be renewal, of course, of oper-
atoms on these inland seas for the COM
mand OF the water which separates Upper
Canada from the Federal territories would
be equivalent to a command of the field. 1t
becomes question, therefore, of great inter-
est to ascertain how this superiority is likely
to be determined, and we publish detailed
statement OF the various conditions by which
the result will be governed. 1t will be seen
that the matter divides itself into two peri
DDS, Of which the first would be the most
critical for England. Up to the month of
April next the lakes may be regarded as in
accessible from the sea, and, therefore, what
ever force is created there must be created
on the spot. The Americans would build
and launch their gpnboats, and their RATS,
and SO could we. Not much could be done.
probably, on either side, as all the vessels
must be extemporized from materials actually
at hand. On both shores there are railWays
leading up to the waters edge, but the
Americans have the advantage In popula-
ton and resources at the critical points, and
Sackett's HarbOr, their arsenal on Lake On
tario, is an establishment for which we have
no match Still, timber is plentiful; guns,
munitions and steam machinery could be
transported by railway; and SO widely has
the country been civilized since the last war
that some OF the most important towns of
IL a
Chlcago, have risen on the shores of these
once remote waters, and are consequently.
exposed to the attacks of our souadrons'
Inc risks, therefore, are divided, and the op-
portunitles for inflieting mischief are divided
Also 1t may, perhaps, be admitted that for
the next three months the Americans. being
more numerous and powerful than the Cana
dams, might succeed in placing on these in
land seas larger fotilla than could be
launched in the same time by the colonists,
but 1t must be remembered that this flotilla
must, in any case, be rudely extemporized,
and that earthworks, ludciousy constructed
and well armed, wonld suffice for the effec-
tual protection of the menaced points against
such feeble assailants.
AS soon, however, as the st. Lawrence is
opened again, there will be an end of our
difficulty. We can then pour into the lakes
such fleet of gunboats and other craft as
will give us the complete and immediate
command of these waters. Directly the
navigation is clear we can send up vessel
after vessel without any restrictions, except
such as are imposed by the size of the canals
The Americans would have no such resource
They would have no access to the lakes from
the sea, and it is impossible that they could
construct vessels of any considerable power
in the interval that would elapse before the
ice broke up. With the opening of spring
the lakes would be ours, and if the mastery
Of these waters is indeed the mastery of ali,
we may expect the result with perfect salts
faction. On the whole, therefore, the con-
meantime the American, if judciously en-
would not be able to do us much
4 orro